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Thursday, February 21, 2013

3 of California’s “Top” Schools On the Chopping Block, And Good Riddance

What makes a
“top” school, top? According to the San Francisco Chronicle (and most other
media) it is test scores. Thanks to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Obama’s
Race to the Top (RttT), test scores are all that matter these days. This has
led to numerous cheating scandals, as well as a reduction in science, arts,
physical education and other curricula to make room for more test preparation.
It has also led to a number of other scandals, such as the one at Oakland’s
American Indian Charter Schools, now under threat of closure for financial
improprieties, despite its relatively high test scores.

The American
Indian schools are currently being investigated by the Alameda County district
attorney for funneling $3.8 million to founder and former director Ben Chavis
and his wife for shady real estate deals and services, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. As director, Chavis signed school
checks over to himself for properties he rented to the schools. In one case, he
charged the schools $1.09 per square foot per month, when Oakland Unified was
charging one-fifth of that ($2.50 per year).

The Oakland
school board has asked the school to shape up and convince them their books are
now in order. The board will make its final decision on March 20.

While the OUSD is threatening to revoke the schools’ charters and shut
them down, they should not be seen as the hero riding in on their white horse.
According to the Express, the school board had known for years about Chavis’
abuses and misconduct, yet continually renewed the schools’ charters, citing
their wonderful test scores as justification. Indeed, the OUSB, due its lack of
effective oversight, was complicit in both the cheating scandal and Chavis’
embezzlement of millions of dollars from the district

The OUSD
likewise had no problem with the schools’ refusal to hire unionized teachers or
its rabid anti-communism (one of the schools’ “10 Commandments” was “Thou shalt
be aware of quacks who believe in communism. Hast thou ever heard of illegal
immigrants risking their lives to enter Cuba?”